New this legislative session is a reported union between horse track owners and new casino proponents. Seeing one another as revenue threats previously stopped the groups from supporting the same legislation.

"With them together, there is certainly a stronger possibility of it passing," Deshotel said.

Honestly, I'll be surprised if this actually passes because Texas is so backwoods when it comes to gambling, but I'd vote for it.

Of course, I really don't know if it'd make a difference. Odds are that the nearest casinos would end up in Houston, which is just about as far away as Lake Charles.